संजय उवाच यियासतस्ततः कृष्णः पार्थस्याश्वान् मनोजवान्। सम्प्रेषीद्धेमसंछन्नान् द्रोणानीकाय संत्वरन्॥
Sanjaya said Upon Partha's desire for advancing against the division of Drona, Krishna urged his steeds covered with golden caparisons, fleet as the mind and white in hue.
तं प्रयान्तं कुरुश्रेष्ठं स्वान् भ्रातृन् द्रोणतापितान्। सुशर्मा भ्रातृभिः सार्धं युद्धार्थी पृष्ठतोऽन्वयात्॥
Beholding that foremost of the Kurus make towards his brothers afflicted sore by Drona, king Susarman with his brothers followed him, desirous of battle.
ततः श्वेतहयः कृष्णमब्रवीदजितं जयः। एव मां भ्रातृभिः सार्धं सुशर्माऽऽह्वयतेऽच्युत॥
The invincible Arjuna owning white steeds then thus addressed Krishna Krishna saying:-'O Achyuta, this Susarman assisted by his brother challenges me (to fight).
दीर्यते चोत्तरेणैव तत् सैन्यं मधुसूदन। द्वैधीभूतं मनो मेऽद्य कृतं संशप्तकैरिदम्॥
O slayer of foes, on the other hand, the ranks of my troops are being shattered, (by Drona); today my mind is undecided in its purposes, which is caused by the Samshaptakas.
किं नु संशप्तकान् हन्मि स्वान् रक्षाम्यहितार्दितान्। इति मे त्वं मतं वेत्सि तत्र किं सुकृतं भवेत्॥
Shall I slay the Samshaptakas or shall I save my own army afflicted by the foe. Know this to be what I am thinking of; tell me what would be beneficial for me?
एवमुक्तस्तु दाशार्हः स्यन्दनं प्रत्यवर्तयत्। येन त्रिगर्ताधिपतिः पाण्डवं समुपाह्वयत्॥
Thus spoken to, the descendant of the Dasharhas (viz., Krishna), turned the car and drove the son of Pandu to the spot whence the ruler of the Trigarttas was summoning Arjuna.
ततोऽर्जुनः सुशर्माणं विद्ध्वा सप्तभिराशुगैः। ध्वजं धनुश्चास्य तथा क्षुराभ्यां समकृन्तत॥
Thereat Arjuna piercing Susarman with seven swift-coursing arrows, cut down his standard, bow and chariot with a couple a razor-sharp arrows.
त्रिगर्ताधिपतेश्चापि भ्रातरं षड्भिराशुगैः। साश्वं ससूतं त्वरितः पार्थः प्रैषीद् यमक्षयम्॥
Then with six swift-flying arrows Partha speedily dispatched to the mansion of Death the brother of the ruler of the Trigarttas, with his steeds and charioteers.
ततो भुजगसंकाशां सुशर्मा शक्तिमायसीम्। चिक्षेपार्जुनमादिश्य वासुदेवाय तोमरम्॥
Thereat Susarman, aiming at Arjuna, hurled an iron dart resembling a snake and he threw a lance at the son of Vasudeva.
शत्ति त्रिभिः शरैश्छित्त्वा तोमरं त्रिभिरर्जुनः। सुशर्माणं शरव्रातैर्मोहयित्वा न्यवर्तयत्॥
Having cut down the dart with three shafts and the lance also with another three, Arjuna compelled Susarman to turn back, depriving him of his senses my means of an arrowy down-pour.
तं वासवमिवायान्तं भूरिवर्षं शरौघिणम्। राजस्तावकसैन्यानां नोग्रं कश्चिदवारयत्॥!
None among your host ventured to oppose him, O monarch, as he came looking fierce and showering arrows like Vasava pouring rain.
ततो धनंजयो बाणैः सर्वानेव महारथान्। आयाद् विनिघ्नन् कौरव्यान् दहन कक्षमिवानलः।। १२
Then Dhananjaya advanced slaying all the mighty car-warriors of the Kauravas, with his arrows, just as fire advances consuming heaps of straw and fuel.
तस्य वेगमसह्यं तं कुन्तीपुत्रस्य धीमतः। नाशक्नुवंस्ते संसोढुं स्पर्शमग्नेरिव प्रजा॥
Like the touch of fire, people were unable to bear the unbearablc impetuosity of that intelligent son of Kunti.
संवेष्टयननीकानि शरवर्षेण पाण्डवः। सुपर्णपातवद् राजन्नायात् प्राग्ज्योतिषं प्रति॥
The son of Pandu overwhelming with his arrowy showers the hostile host, made, O monarch, towards the rulers of the Pragjyotisas, like Suparna pouncing down (upon his prey).
यत् तदानामयज्जिष्णुर्भरतानामपापिनाम्। धनुः क्षेमकरं संख्ये द्विषतामश्रुवर्धनम्॥ तदेव तव पुत्रस्य राजन् दुर्दूतदेविनः। कृते क्षत्रविनाशाय धनुरायच्छदर्जुनः॥
Then the ever-victorious Arjuna held in his grasp the bow, that was prolific of benefit for the sinless Pandavas and that was capable of enhancing the grief of the enemy in battle, for the destruction of the Kshatriyas, brought about, O king, by your son's recourse to the deceitful fame at dice.
तथा विक्षोभ्यमाणा सा पार्थेन तव वाहिनी। व्यशीर्यत महाराज नौरिवासाद्य पर्वतम्॥
Then, () monarch, your troops being thus agitated by the son of Pritha, was broken like a frail bark grounded on a rock.
ततो दशसहस्राणि न्यवर्तन्त धनुष्मताम्। मतिं कृत्वा रणे क्रूरां वीरा जयपराजये॥
Thereupon, ten thousand bowmen, brave and inflamed with a fierce determination for battle and disregardful of victory or defeat, turned upon (Arjuna).
व्यपेतहृदयत्रासा आवद्रूस्तं महारथाः। आर्छत् पार्थो गुरुं भारं सर्वभारसहो युधि॥
With their hearts shorn of fear, those mighty warriors completely encompassed him. Thereat Partha capable of bearing all burdens how heavy sover, took up that burden in that battle.
यथा नलवनं क्रुद्धः प्रभिन्नः षष्टिहायनः। मृद्गीयात् तद्वदायस्तः पार्थोऽमृद्गाच्चमू तव॥
Then Partha began to crush your forces just as an infuriatc elephant of six years of age, with rent temples crushes and tears an assemblage of lotus plants.
तस्मिन् प्रमथिते सैन्ये भगदत्तो नराधिपः। तेन नागेन सहसा धनंजयमुपाद्रवत्॥
When the troops were being thus crushed, Bhagadatta, the ruler of men, riding on the selfsame elephant, rushed suddenly at Dhananjaya.
तं रथेन नरव्याघ्रः प्रत्यगृह्णाद् धनंजयः। स संनिपातस्तुमुलो बभूव स्थनागयोः॥
Thereupon Dhananjaya that foremost of men, received him. (Bhagadatta), opposing him with his car. Then a fierce encounter raged between that car and that elephant.
कल्पिताभ्यां यथाशास्त्रं रथेन च गजेन च। संग्रामे चेरतुर्वीरौ भगदत्तधनञ्जयौ॥
Riding their and elephant respectively which were equipped according to the rules of the military science, those two heroes Dhananjaya and Bhagadatta careered through the field of battle.
ततो जीमूतसंकाशान्नागादिन्द्र इव प्रभुः। अभ्यवर्षच्छरौघेण भगदत्तो धनंजयम्॥
Then staying on his elephant that resembled a mass of clouds, the mighty down-pour of arrows, like Indra showering rain.
च चापि शरवर्षं तं शरवर्षेण वासविः। अप्राप्तमेव चिच्छेद भगदत्तस्य वीर्यवान्॥
Then the son of Vasava (Arjuna) endued with prowess, cut-off with his arrowy showers, the arrows of Bhagadatta, before they could even reach him.
ततः प्राग्ज्योतिषो राजा शरवर्षे निवार्यत्। शरैर्जघ्ने महाबाहुं पार्थे कृष्णं च मारिष॥
Oll car Then, O sire, the king of the Pragjyotisas, baffling that shower of arrows, pierced the mighty-armed son of Pritha, as also Krishna, with his arrows.
ततस्तु शरजालेन महताऽभ्यवकीर्य तौ। चोदयामास तं नाग वधायाच्युतपार्थयोः॥
Thereafter covering Krishna and Partha with a thick net-work of arrows, Bhagadatta urged his elephant towards them in order to slay them.
तमापतन्तं द्विरदं दृष्ट्वा कुद्धमिवान्तकम्। चक्रेऽपसव्यं त्वरितः स्यन्दनेन जनार्दनः॥
Thereat beholding that infuriate elephant make towards themselves like Death himself, Janardana with swiftness moved his car in a manner as to leave the elephant on the left.
तं प्राप्तमपि नेयेष परावृत्तं महाद्वित्तं महाद्विपम्। सारोहं मृत्युसात्कर्तुं स्मरन् धर्म धनंजयः॥
Thus Dhananjaya, though he got an opportunity of slaying that mighty elephant and its rider from the right side, yet did not avail himself of it, recollecting the laws of fair combat.
स तु नागो द्विपरथान् हयांश्चामृद्य मारिष। प्राहिणोन्मृत्युलोकाय ततः क्रुद्धो धनंजयः॥
The elephant, O sire, trampling down upon other elephants, cars and steeds, sent them all to the regions of Death. Thereat Dhananjaya was inflamed with wrath.